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I Suffered Worse Than a Thousand Deaths

The year was 1831. Twenty-seven-year-old Hervey Green heard about a new church called “Golden Bible Folks.” His first reaction was, “What will people get up for religion next?”

Then he learned that members of that church, now called “Mormons,” were going to be preaching in his area. He attended and said, “Ere I was aware of it, I was a believer.” He returned home and began reading the Book of Mormon. At length, he determined to go to Kirtland and “see Joseph Smith for myself.” He was baptized into the church on the way.

Upon his arrival he said:

“I beheld a prophet of the Lord, and while gazing upon Joseph and Hyrum Smith, a strangely new sensation crept over me and I was in the presence of one who had seen a holy angel, and to whom God had spoken….I felt a child in his presence. Much like the disciples at the feet of the divine Master and great Father, I sat and eagerly fed upon the wonderful words of life that fell from his inspired lips.”

Then Hervey makes this solemn declaration, “The glorious reality was mine, and I laid hold of it with a full determination never to let it slip from my possession, come weal or woe, come life or come death.”

In early June, 1831, a conference was held on the Isaac Morley farm. It was at that conference that the first high priests of this dispensation were ordained. At the conference, Hervey records Joseph as saying:

“My brethren, this is a day of power in which God will manifest unto you some of the great operations of His Spirit in a degree which has not been known upon this land since the Nephites enjoyed it here; and the power of the adversary will also be made manifest to like manner; and by this you may learn the workings of the two powers, that you may be able to detect the workings of the adversary; for it shortly goes forth with lying wonders to the world, and will closely follow and imitate the power of God, and thus deceive many; for behold, the Spirit of God is here to work in power, and the spirits of darkness, even devils, are here also in much power.”

As Joseph made that promise, the powers began to work among the brethren. Some saw angels, visions and the Savior himself, while others, like Hervey, were seized with a different power. He records:

“At the same time others, including Elder H. S. Whitlock and myself, were suddenly seized with an unseen power, and violently thrown to the floor. Some writhed in horrible convulsions, making efforts to preach and speak in tongues, imitating others. I was tightly bound and held in awful suffering and fearful suspense, so that I could not breathe nor move a finger to save me. I knew it was the power of the devil, and I could do nothing but think and suffer, horrified at the thought of being wholly in his power. My thoughts flew like lightning, my anguish knew no bounds. In that brief time of some twenty minutes in this terrible agony, I suffered worse than a thousand deaths. Joseph, in tears, finally said, ‘It is enough;’ and then, in the true majesty of a prophet and servant of God he, in the name of Jesus Christ, rebuked the devils, commanding them to depart out of me, which they immediately did. And, oh! What a load like a heavy, killing weight rolled off and left me. Immediately, I commenced praying to God, calling upon Him for some time with much anxiety to preserve me from another such visitation of that terrible power of Satan. This occurrence fully convinced me of what I had before doubted, the existence of real devils here, in such power. My heart was drawn out in fervent prayer the entire night following, that the Lord would not again suffer me to be bound and overcome by the powers of darkness.”

The next day was the Sabbath. Hervey lingered behind as everyone made their way to the conference. He wanted to be alone to pray. Suddenly, two glorious heavenly beings appeared to him that he did not identify. One vanished quickly, while the other extended a copy of The Book of Mormon towards him. He says:

“Immediately, all my fear of being bound again left me. The Holy Spirit rested upon me, and I was completely happy as I before had been completely miserable. The scriptures unfolded to my understanding, and it seemed that all things around me were new.”

From that point forward, Hervey was dedicated. He served numerous missions and was even beaten by a mob, until he was near death, for his testimony. He saw miracles and wonders, but then, after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Hervey would not accept the authority of Brigham Young and the Twelve. He went west, but soon apostatized and went to California where he joined another church. Thus it is that we know little of Hervey Green, notwithstanding his wonderful service.

No matter who we are or what we have seen, if we do not continue humbly seeking the Lord and His holy word—daily, we can fall!

Source:

From the autobiography of Hervey Green. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJR-JBT